The present invention relates generally to text processing, and more particularly, to methods for scanning and detecting format code changes within a word processing document.
One of the most popular applications of modern computer technology is in the field of text or word processing. Yet many problems still persist in the accurate representation to the user of a document in its final formatted form on a display screen. Most word processors fail to reach the ideal WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) presentation to the user; instead, the way a document page looks on the screen is not identical to the way it will look on a printed page.
One of the greatest problems in the partial WYSIWYG word processors is that the effect of the various format controls on the final document is largely hidden from the user. Most often, the user sees only the format control itself and not underlying characteristics of the control. The ability of the user to understand the effect of a particular format control is limited, and lacks a clear picture of what changes in the document were caused by the format control. Frequently, some of the format changes caused by the format control cannot be seen on the screen, and show up only when the document is printed. In a long document (50 pages or more are not uncommon) which has undergone much revision and has many format changes, it is unacceptable to discover each undesired format change at print time, to print the document yet again and find still more undesired format changes.
The prior methods for dealing with this problem all suffer from limitations. The most prevalent method is to present a menu which displays the current format characteristics for a given point within a document. While this menu is helpful, it does not inform the user as to how the current format characteristics came about; i.e., which format controls caused which changes to the starting document format. Without information on the location as to where a given format characteristic change takes effect, it is difficult to implement a new change in that format characteristic. To some degree, a user can deduce where a format change has taken place by scrolling the document and displaying the menu at various points in the document. However, this is very time consuming and clearly unacceptable where large documents are being modified.
A second prior art method is a variation on the first method. A menu is presented to the user specifically at each format control when the cursor is on a spot in the data stream which corresponds to the format control. The menu contains the format characteristics associated with a given format control. While this method allows the user to understand where formatting changes occur within the document, and therefore, where to make new modifications to the format of the document, it suffers, as does the first method, in that information is presented for only one location within the document.
The limitations of the prior art can be understood by the following example: A user is in the process of formatting a long document with a large number of format changes, some portions of text would be double-spaced, others single-spaced and with indented margins. A given page of the document is to be printed in a double-spaced format. During the formatting process, the user has located a format control which could effect line spacing, e.g., a line format change control. In this example, if the user utilizes one of the methods described above at the line format change control, he will see that double line spacing is in effect as a result of the control. However, without repetitious scrolling of the cursor the user cannot determine whether the control is actually needed to effect line spacing at that point, since line spacing before the line format change control may also be double spaced.
In the sophisticated word and text processors of today many changes in format can occur at a given format control. It may be possible, though unwieldy, to keep track of a single format parameter, e.g., line spacing as in the above example, through the use of repetitive scrolling in prior art methods. However, where many format changes take place at the format controls within a document, it becomes very difficult for the user to keep track of all the format changes which occur at various points in the document. Inevitably, mistakes will be made only to be discovered at print time. The user will correct the format control and print the document again, only to find that a later format control, hidden by the first format control, will now sabotage his efforts.